


To the Victor go the Spoils

by mayachain



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: Alternate Canon, First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M, Minor Character Death, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-03-28
Updated: 2007-03-28
Packaged: 2017-10-05 10:51:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/40991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayachain/pseuds/mayachain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If the War was won merely minutes ago, is there anything left that you want?</p>
            </blockquote>





	To the Victor go the Spoils

**Author's Note:**

> Description of battle aftermath below.

  


* * *

Severus Snape never would have thought that the war would end with him having a former student, much less _this_ former student, put bandages soaked with his own healing potions on his person. Yet here he was, the after-effects of too many hexes attaching him firmly to the ground, simply too exhausted to fend off Neville Longbottom's efforts to for some reason Severus couldn't quite fathom save his life. If three rounds of _crucio_ had left him with enough energy to feel surprise, he'd be surprised that Longbottom didn't once flinch while tending to the wounds of a - what designation should, by all rights, frighten the boy the most? Supposed traitor? Spy? Murderer? Ex-professor? Somewhere in the back of his mind Severus was convinced that the boy's hands should at least shake a bit. They didn't.

Neither did his voice, as he said "There you go, Sir" while finishing up the knot on the last, much needed bandage. He rocked back on his heels and looked around at the survivors milling about on what had once been recognizable as a cemetery.

"Now. Have you seen Malfoy, Sir?"

Vaguely registering that it took him far too many seconds to register and process the words, Severus weakly, impassively, pointed out a heap lying amidst what remained of the headstones of now nameless Muggles. Once they had all left, this place would most likely be banned from being entered ever again, which meant there was no chance whatsoever that anyone would restore the graves of those who had been unfortunate enough to be buried by their relatives in the near vicinity of one Merope Gaunt.

Longbottom shuddered as he recognized what could barely be described as a body and might, with a reasonable amount of goodwill, be identified as what was left of Lucius Malfoy.

"I meant Draco, Sir."

Of course.

Willing his muddled mind to remember where he'd last seen his young charge before everything had gone white and the force of the last of Voldemort's soul evaporating (was Potter alive? did he care? did he have to care, now?) had brought him down. Eventually, Longbottom's gaze followed his, and he found Draco the same moment as Severus saw him.

"Right," he said, and stood up.

Something in the young man's voice piqued Severus' interest, prevented him from slipping into blissful unconsciousness the minute he was left alone. Something about the way the boy was moving to where Draco stood, eyes closed, supporting his injured self against the sorry, scorched remains of a tree. He'd never associated anything much with Longbottom, certainly nothing that would have required confidence, and would certainly not have imagined him pulling off that kind of a determined limp.

Thus he watched, first listlessly and then more and more attentive, as Longbottom stepped up to Draco, who looked up in surprise at being approached by someone without the apparent intent to hex or arrest. Any attempt to arrest him would of course be completely uncalled for, but neither Draco nor Severus had had much hope of remaining either alive or free for long when they'd parted ways seconds before All Hell Broke Loose. He could not have said which of the two Slytherins was more surprised when Longbottom (was there really enough energy left in his curse-ridden body to feel shock?) gently put a hand on a pale, blood-stained cheek, ignoring the widening of Draco's eyes, and kissed him.

Kissed him, as if he weren't standing amidst leaderless, rounded-up Death Eaters and Order Members who, if they could walk, were checking whether there were more wounded for whom help would not come too late.

Went on kissing him, in fact, for quite some time.

"If I were twenty years younger, I'd do that."

Severus started at the voice behind him, but couldn't tear his eyes away from the two youngsters as Remus Lupin, with very slow movements so as to fend off the pain, settled down on the ground next to him. He strained to make out the expression on Draco's face as Longbottom drew back, feeling a twinge of regret that Lucius hadn't lived to see his heir reduced to such incredulity and confusion.

"Want to know what they're saying?"

They were too far away, and he was not in any shape to conduct so much as a simple eavesdropping charm. Was Lupin? He didn't turn to find out, but the other man was already whispering.

"´_Why_´?"

Ah. Werewolf hearing.

"´_Because I've known for quite some time that if we ever won the war, and if we both were still alive, this is what I wanted to do. Because I just faced down your aunt, which means today of all days I really can't make the excuse that I don't dare to. Because I figured, I can't really get disappointed if you don't react the way I'd like you to, because, well, hey, we just won the war!_´"

Severus shivered at the other man's breath on his ear, biting his lip as he watched his young charge make a brave decision of Gryffindorish proportions for the second time this day, leaning up to press a light kiss against Longbottom's cheek. He didn't quite know where it came from, but he found he was almost smiling; to read _that_ he did not need the werewolf's transcription. _And if I respond the way you hoped for, what then?_

"If I were twenty years younger, I'd do that," Lupin repeated.

"You would?" he heard himself ask, eyes still on what anyone would have called an unlikely pair, voice strangely dull.

It wasn't really a request for the other man to elaborate, yet he did.

"If tonight had happened years ago - if, for example, tonight's victor had been Lily, not Harry… I'd hope so, but I don't know. Maybe not. I was stupid then. But." And somehow the tremble he'd expected to hear from Longbottom had found it's way into Lupin's voice, instead. He'd never heard it sound quite that way before, trembling but strong. "If my friends were alive today, if James and Lily had seen their son beat Voldemort, and Sirius… I _would_ do it. And if, right now, I had a body that was twenty years younger - with all my memories still intact - then yes, I'd definitely do it."

Severus finally turned his head to watch Lupin, whose eyes flicked back and forth between Draco and Longbottom, who perhaps would be well advised to try to apparate to Hogsmeade for a room, and Severus himself. No tears on his face, which meant the Potter brat obviously lived. While looking every bit as exhausted as Severus felt, he appeared to be fairly unharmed, with comparatively few bandages indicating suffered hexes and new scars. They stared at each other for a while. Then Lupin said,

"But I don't."

"Oh," Severus said, disappointment seeping through his fatigue, although he had no evidence whatsoever that it was _he_ Lupin wanted to kiss, but Lupin continued, quietly, talking right over him,

"So now I'll just do this…"

…watching Severus watch blood-smeared fingers twining themselves into an expertly bandaged hand.  


* * *

* * *

  


**Author's Note:**

> Everybody check out the wonderful [art](http://community.livejournal.com/lupisashes/2948.html) [](http://lupis-ashes.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://lupis-ashes.livejournal.com/)**lupis_ashes** drew for me!


End file.
